Ferries in Europe: one cruise from two companies

Two major ferry cruise players - Danish company DFDS Seaways and French LD Lines ferry operator - unveiled plans launch a new joint route between the ports of Dover and Calais as well as joint ferry management on the route.

The decision to join efforts on these routes was made after elimination of one of the largest ferry operators in France - SeaFrance.

The new alliance of the Danish and French companies provides for servicing Dover-Calais route on at least two ferries under the French flag.

Company representatives already declared that launching of a new route between France and the UK will create 300 new jobs.

By combining their capabilities the companies will be able to compete on this route with the British ferry operator P&O Ferries.

It should be noted that currently ferry cruises across the Strait of the Pas-de-Calais are experiencing hard times due to the growth of budget operator offers and increased capacity of the tunnel under the English Channel. Thus, DFDS Seaways and LD Lines will have to create its own format, which will allow both companies to hold and not to lose positions on the Calais-Dover-Calais route, which previously held SeaFrance.

DFDS Seaways is a Danish ferry company and one of the largest in the region of Northern Europe. Today the company serves passenger routes from Klaipeda, Copenhagen and Newcastle. It also has a route from Dover to Dunkerque.

LD Lines is French ferry company founded in 2005. The company operates on the route Le Havre-Portsmouth, as well as a number of routes connecting the ports of France, Belgium and Holland.

More cruises in Northern Europe
It is expected that 2012 will be one of the most successful season in the modern history of the cruise traveling for the Northern Europe region. The European Cruise Council (ECC) has estimated that the number of passengers in the current season will increase by 16% compared with 2011 and reach 1 million 490 thousand people.

19/07/2012

Norwegian: free cruises for children
Norwegian Cruise Line, the third-largest cruise company in the world, announced a special offer â€“ â€śKids Sail Freeâ€ť. As part of the offer potential customers will be able to book on favorable terms cabins on the cruise ships for themselves and their children â€“ the third and fourth beds in the cabin for the children under 17 years can be booked for free.